Missing Fairy Tail
by Firelight Frost
Summary: Two weeks since Lucy and Natsu reunited, they have returned to Magnolia in search for their old guild mates. They are both missing Fairy Tail but Lucy begins to feel that she is missing her own fairy tale. Nalu. Rating may change to M at a later date depending on where I decide to take the story.
1. Chapter 1

Missing Fairy Tail

Chapter One Pure Serenity

"GET OUT" Lucy screamed, throwing Happy and Natsu into the street before slamming her door and locking it, twice. It had been only two weeks since they had been staying together after their declaration of Fairy Tail's return and she was on her last wick. They had come back to Magnolia and were staying in Lucy's first apartment. She had constantly been cleaning, organizing and praying that they'd find somewhere else to stay for far too long now. Every time she came home something had been clawed to death or burned to a crisp. It was taking her copious amounts of self control not to murder them both. 'How had they lasted this long together without fighting?' She wondered, beginning the task of cleaning their last mess.

She looked away from her job for a moment, smiling, surveying the room. It felt like home, despite the fact that she didn't have a guild hall to find her friends. The lack of work had worried her initially as well. Thankfully she'd made a suitable sum of money working with Sorcerer Weekly. Lucy predicted that she'd still find it challenging to afford the food Natsu and Happy consumed for much longer. She sighed. 'Maybe I shouldn't have been so hard on them. They don't have a place to stay now, without a guild.' She pondered on the idea. All they had known for years had bean demolished. They had probably hoped of returning to their welcoming family rather than the empty frame of their old guild. She couldn't help wonder if the Fairy Tail would still be together if they hadn't taken off, so abruptly, to train. It had acted as the icing on the cake: the physical guild had been left and destroyed but without everyone being together it seemed like the bonds between the members were being left too. Fairy Tail had needed their support and persistence to stabilize its relationships. Lucy studied her rose emblem, on her hand, just as she did every day, remembering the many adventures they'd had, towns they'd destroyed and battles they'd won. She sighed once again, dwelling on her now peaceful life. To distract her from the overbearing weight that the past year's events had placed on her, she decided to take a bath.

Now in the candlelit room, submerged in the steamy water, Lucy could relax. Inhaling the strong scent of peony, she felt her worries softly drift away. She tried to think about her novel-it hadn't really progressed as much as she'd wanted it to-but she couldn't pull her thoughts away from Natsu. She had spent two very full on weeks with him and as much as he'd annoyed her incessantly, she felt as though their bond was strengthening. Happy had been notably absent during their time together. He'd taken to fishing and using his fast wings to try to gather information on their fellow guild mates from the locals. Her and Natsu had made little progress. Lucy suspected that everyone was 'laying low' the disbandment probably hit them harder than her and Natsu. He'd been busy for a year and he'd not even known. Plus, she'd only been at the guild for a year or so. Those who'd spent their entire lives there would probably be heart broken and dealing with it in their own ways.

She sank down deeper into the water closing her eyes. 'Where had Natsu gone?' She worried he'd walk in at the wrong time; it was one of his talents, along with burning down everything in sight. 'Was he mad at her? No. He never was.' He'd put up with numerous rants and screams from Lucy since their first encounter. He was used to it. 'What was he up to?' She thought for only a moment before realizing he'd be eating. ;Was he missing her?' Instantly, Lucy shot into a sitting position. she didn't understand why that mattered or why it had even crossed her mind. She guessed that she wasn't used to the quiet. there was no loud yelling, no snoring, no screaming with added fire, no anything. Nothing but the sounds of the water surrounding her and the dull flickering of her multiple candles. She flopped back down into the water and closed her eyes. After soaking for an additional ten minutes, thoroughly washing herself, she left her bath and dressed herself in a mint green tank top paired with a dark grey mini skirt and black boots.

Once her hair was completely dried she began a letter to her mother. She enthused about Natsu and their plans for the guild and how happy they'd both been on that day they'd reunited. She sealed the letter and set to making some dinner. she'd now have to make around ten times as much as ususal and there'd be no leftovers. Opening her fridge, she found an absence in ingredients. This was repeated in the cupboards. 'Of course.' She mused. She wrote Natsu a note, grabbed her handbag and began a leisurely journey to buy food.

She stepped out into the crisp evening air. Taking her usual route on the edge of the river, she made her way along the water's edge. She teetered along receiving her usual remarks from the boaters warning her not to fall in. The streetlights illuminated the water's surface creating swirly patterns up Lucy's legs. She''d always liked them. They'd remind her of extremely warm days spent swimming in the sun. Nearing the marketplace she stepped down onto the footpath and thought about what to buy for food. It was late so she didn't want to make anything complicated or time consuming. 'What would Natsu like?' She wondered. 'Anything.' Lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice the smoke floating towards her. When it finally filled her view she was awoken to the marketplace half smoking and burned. "NATSU!" She yelled. She just knew he'd caused it. It was always him when it came to fire. Now they'd have nothing for dinner and shed left her house for nothing. Angry and scowling, she turned and decided to take a detour into the woods to let off steam and to make the journey less pointless.

After walking through a long row of trees, she settled in a secluded spot near the water, surrounded by trees. Her breathing began to slow as the crickets and still water soothed her annoyance. This had become a recurring theme. Something-usually Natsu-would irritate her resulting in her having to sit alone for a while to calm, so she didn't kill him. Her eyes scanned the surrounding area and began to watch a group of swans upon the water. This place was nice. She enjoyed how it was far away from anything that could annoy her. The moon slowly drifted through the sky casting its bright rays onto the water. 'Pure serenity.' She thought. Leaning down onto the soft, silky plants beneath her. Her mind swiftly found the topic of Natsu once again. Even when they were separate he was abundant in her life.

She lay on the grass for a further twenty minutes before getting up to return home. Once she made it back to her house, she was exhausted. She couldn't wait to crawl into bed to rest. However upon opening the door she was presented with a familiar site of a certain dragon slayer and a certain blue cat in her living room. Sighing, she said. "We don't have any food and I couldn't buy anyone because someone set the marketplace on fire." The looked puzzled. "Come on Natsu. When fire is involved it usually because of you." Eventually Natsu responded. "Hey Luce. I'm not sure what you're talking about the marketplace for but i know that we do have food. Happy and I went fishing. we even caught you some and cooked it up."

It had been two weeks and Lucy hadn't received any kind of help from either of them. 'Why now?' She let out a small "Thank you." And retrieved plates from her kitchen. They began their meal with Happy and Natsu eating ten times more than her as usual.

"Mmmm! That was delicious." Happy chided. Natsu and Lucy agreed with smiles, finishing their last bites.

'He's right. Thanks you guys."

'No problem" Natsu smiled. "I'm taking a bath."

This stopped Lucy. "You're taking a bath? By choice?" He nodded. "You never do that." Lucy exclaimed.

"He fell in the lake earlier." Happy explained.

"Ah" Lucy understood.

Natsu entered the bathroom leaving Lucy and Happy.

"I'm going back to our place tonight to get some sleep without being disturbed by Natsu's snoring." Happy said sprouting his wings.

"wait you've had your house this whole time and you've been staying here?" Lucy gasped.

"It's not like we didn't used to. You know, when fairy tail was around. We just like to spend time with you is all." Happy told her.

Lucy sighed as he flew out of the window. she missed the guild and having a place she knew they could still find people when she kicked them out.

she began clearing their plates while she wanted for Natsu. Once the house was clean she pulled over Some warm blue pajamas after checking he'd not emerge from the bathroom any time soon. It wouldn't surprise her if he'd called asleep. she didn't want to keep waiting so she crawled into bed and turned off the lights.

Inhaling the smoothie smell of clekan linen, she felt at home. She was happy. She'd had dinner made for her and she had on of the mess makers out of the house. Plus, Natsu was taking a bath. As she felt herself drifting into sleep, she prayed she wouldn't wake up to Natsu next to her as she usually did. She couldn't think about it for too long before she was engulfed into her dreams.


	2. Chapter 2

Missing Fairy Tail

A.N.

So i completely forgot to leave a note here last time. This is my first FanFiction and I hope you all love it. Thank you so much for reading this. I'm open to any suggestions or criticisms of my grammar. Also i write this with a Bluetooth keyboard and its not the most reliable so if there are any grammatical errors that I missed I'm sorry. I found quite a few in my last chapter.

Chapter Two You Looooooove Her

"Owww" Natsu moaned as he rose from the ground. Happy and he had just been thrown from Lucy's house. "It's not like we did anything wrong."

"You burned her rugs. Maybe if you could control that fire of yours we'd be in a warm house right now." Happy complained.

"I have a key. We can come back once she cools down. Also, I remember you clawing at that rug before I had a chance to go near it." Natsu protested. The two bickered outside Lucy's house for another five minutes before hunger took over.

They agreed to make their way towards the lake side to try to catch some fish for food. Happy prodded along behind Natsu for a while as they neared the lake, listening to the water. He then paused. Natsu turned to face him. "Hey Natsu."

"Yeah little buddy." Natsu answered.

"Do you think we'll ever find the guild mates again because -"He trailed off, lowering he's head as a sudden wave of worry consumed him. Quickly, he was scooped up by Natsu and held tightly; the way you'd hold a family member.

"Don't worry little guy. All it'll take is a few of the to come back. Then the rest are sure to come flying in." He grinned.

"You're right." Happy perked up instantly, distracting himself from his anxieties.

"Cause that's what families do." Natsu continued. "We'll all find our way back to each other just like we always have."

Happy replied with a simple nod.

By the end of their conversation they had reached the lake side. Natsu prepared fishing poles for each of them before the nestled down onto a familiar rock to catch their dinner. "I'm going to catch more than you." Natsu declared childishly.

"Bring it on! You couldn't catch a flying fish when it was sleeping." Happy retorted.

"Oh yeah. Just watch me!" they both settled to intense fishing, with faces loaded with determination. After catching ten Happy decided to stop. "What now. Are you giving up?" Natsu said.

"No I'm done. We have enough for us."

"What about Lucy?" Happy paused at Natsu's comment, realising he'd forgotten her. "We should catch her some dinner too don't you think? We've been eating enough of her food and staying at her place."

"That's your job." Happy smiled. "You love her." He twirled playfully beginning to laugh hysterically. Natsu sighed, turning back to his fishing, listening to his friend giggling. 'How could someone go from being so worried about the guild to being so happy now?' He wondered. Honestly, Natsu was glad Happy was able to change quickly. Natsu wasn't. He loved fishing and eating and playing with his friend but he always had an underlying worry that Fairy Tail would never come back.

He scanned the edges of the lake, reeling in another fish. He thought about Lucy. She was his friend. His best friend but he still longed for the guild. It was his place to reside when Lucy was sick of him. The people there were his family and it was like they'd been ripped from him. He imagined it would be like living life without fire magic. Unbearable. If he didn't have Lucy now, he'd probably have lost it. She was special to him. He remembered meeting her. She was so different from the other girls around. She wasn't captured by that fake salamander's spell. Not for as long as the rest at least. Plus she'd bought him food. He grinned.

But lately it had been more than just her food, or her warm house; it was her smile. Natsu had thought Lucy was beautiful since he'd first lain eyes on her but he'd never been so uplifted by her smile like he had been recently. Any time news of a guild mate's new whereabouts or even possible work came through, Natsu would make his best effort to see her face. It would change from a porcelain doll to a beautiful statue. And her eyes. He could gaze into those for hours and never be bored. He loved waking up to her, even if she did give him hell for it. he imagined coming home to her now and hugging her and apologising to her. He dreamed of kissing her delicately on the lips and her returning the gesture. Natsu wasn't surprised. He knew how he felt about her. He'd known it not long after they'd met. He din't ever try to peruse it though. He remained hopeful that shed one day have feelings for him too but he didn't want to risk their perfect friendship. He laughed at the thought of them together. Him, a loud, pyromaniac, dragon slayer with her, a delicate, feminine, celestial wizard.

"Natsu." Happy disturbed his thoughts.

"Mm?" Natsu grunted.

"Do you?" The azure cat questioned. Natsu cocked his head in a curious manner. He'd forgotten their previous talk. "Do you love her?" Happy finished. Natsu remembered his friend's last question. He didn't want to tell Happy. He'd never keep that kind of secret. He let himself go quiet again. "You do!" Happy cheered. Natsu cursed himself for being quiet. it wasn't something he did regularly.

"I wouldn't say love." Natsu tried to explain but he was cut off.

"Please Natsu. I know you and I know you loooove her. You find every excuse to see her and every excuse to be the one with her even when we were in the guild. It was pretty obvious." The blue cat smirked proudly.

"No need to be so smug. One of us here has fire magic."

"I can't believe you'd say that to your 'little buddy'." Happy quoted, fake crying.

"It doesn't matter anyway. We have the guild to focus on and Lucy is far more interested in classy authors than me."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that. You two have been spending a lot of time with each other." Happy beamed.

"Happy, I don't want to talk about this right now." Happy's delighted expression faded as Natsu turned away, focusing on fishing. silence slowly seeped back into the space between them.

'What's wrong with him?' Happy thought. 'I'm his best friend. Maybe he's just sad.' Happy couldn't help considering Carla. He prayed they'd find her and Wendy soon so he could be with his love. Natsu and Lucy were different. happy was sure they both had soft spots for each other but they were both too worried about what the other would say if they admitted it. He wanted to know if he was right about Lucy. She'd always been nice to Natsu as she put up with break ins, empty cupboards, fire and everything else from him. Suddenly, Happy flipped out his wings, lifted up Natsu and plunged him into the lake making sure he kept his fur dry.

"What in the name of Mavis was that for?" Natsu shrieked, spitting out water.

"Now you have to take a bath."

"Yes but still why?" , clambering onto the earth again.

"Lucy will be less appalled by you if you smell nice."

"Wow. You're such a supportive friend." Natsu spat out sarcastically.

"Trust me." Happy said as he flew off. "Bring food back with you!" With that Happy began his flight back to the house, leaving an annoyed screeching Natsu alone.

Angrily, Natsu pulled up the fish and began his uncomfortable trudge back to the house. As he walked across the bridge, he performed one of Lucy's rituals, balancing on the edge. He recited no comments form boaters however. He couldn't help himself. He was once again thinking of Lucy. Maybe she would like him if he brought her food and took a bath. He wanted her to smile for him rather than for someone else. He loved making her smile. He was good at it too. All he had to do was save her from someone trying to destroy the world and she'd smile for him. Once he was near the house, he pulled out his key and unlocked the door. He expected to find an angry Lucy but instead found a note and a sleeping cat. The note read 'Natsu and Happy. I've gone out to buy food because you've eaten it all. Be back later.' He hoped she wouldn't buy any. That would make his dinner pointless. He rested beside her low table and began to cook the fish for him and her slowly. He dared not to wake the cat. He didn't want another argument.

Not a while later, Lucy returned home. Happy woke at the sound of her opening the door and joined Natsu by the table. Natsu was enchanted by her face. It was paler than the moon with eyes like polished stones. However she seemed extremely tired and thankfully she was empty handed. "We don't have any food and I couldn't buy any because someone set the marketplace on fire." Lucy began accusingly. Natsu was puzzled. He'd not known. "Come on Natsu. When fire is involved it's usually because of you."

He remained confused but decide to greet her and ignore he accusation. He told her about the fish and gave her some. She smiled. His blood rushed vigorously in response. He was glad to eat his meal but he took careful attention to the way he ate and how messy he was even though he still ate the same amount. He received compliments from both Happy and Lucy to his pleasure. he wasted no time once dinner was finished. "I'm taking a bath." He declared awaiting her smile. Despite this, he was met with a look of shock.

"You're taking a bath? By choice?" Lucy asked. Natsu's heart sank at her lack of joy. "You never do that." She continued.

"He fell in the lake earlier." Happy explained.

Natsu stopped listening to their conversation and entered the bathroom to clean himself. He lit Lucy's candles and ran the bath water, warming it with his fire impatiently. Now surrounded by Lucy's scent he felt better. he scrubbed continuously to keep from boredom as he tried to avoid thinking of the fact that Lucy was sitting with the blue cat who knew his feeling for her. He scolded himself mentally for letting Happy know. He was constant with his ' You loooove her' act. He'd kill him if he let it slip. He cared about Lucy too much to loose her. He washed his salmon hair before removing himself from the water and setting himself on fire to dry. Listening carefully into the next room, he made sure Lucy was in bed before he opened it. He didn't want to barge in on her at an inappropriate time and get kicked out again.

Once he was in the dark room he lit a small spark to navigate easier. Lucy was in bed, snoring away to herself, Happy was nowhere to be seen and he was looking for somewhere to sleep. He'd finally decided that he'd try to annoy Lucy less so he didn't want to invade her personal space like he did most nights. He took a blanket from one of her cupboards and tip toed lightly towards her couch. He lay beneath the blanket listening to her soft snoring. He spent the whole night trying to stay away from her bed. He found himself restless, completely conflicted about his emotions. Yes: he wanted to be less annoying in the hopes that she'd maybe one day like him but he really liked her bed. He sighed and settled to making shapes with his fire until pure exhaustion forced him to fall asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Missing Fairy Tali

A.N.

Hi everyone. Thank you so much for reading. I really hope you enjoy this chapter. Please leave a review telling me what you thought.

Chapter 3 You're Cold

Lucy always dreamed. She had done since she was a child. Whether she was daydreaming about her novel's story or sleeping, she was most likely dreaming. She usually dreamed of something similar to what had happened to her during the day. Tonight she'd dreamed of Natsu giving her cakes topped with pastel pink icing that matched his hair. When she bit into them they dissolved, ironically, into snow. When she woke she thought her dream was similar to her evening. Natsu had provided her with food then too and both were equally as confusing. Once she had lost the drowsiness froom just waking, she noticed the bed was strangely cold. She hugged the blankets closer for warmth but there was no pull stopping her. Usually Natsu would have taken the rest of the duvet but he wasn't here. She bolted up, scanning the room. He was lying on her couch sleeping, breathing out puffs of smoke. 'This is strange.' She thought. Why hadn't he invaded her bed? she always screamed at him first thing when she found him sleeping next to her but now he was gone she felt an odd sense of loneliness. She moved from the bed, smoothing the sheets, before she sat beside Natsu. She leaned close to him, listening to his breathing. He began to murmur in his sleep. Lucy quickly leapt up not wanting a repeat of the time he'd thrown her out of the guild hall while asleep. Once she was sure he wasn't going to attack, she leaned closer once again. His faint whispers became understandable. "Lu-" He muttered. "Lucy." She smiled. He must have been dreaming about her too. They'd spent so much time together lately, it didn't surprise her.

While he was sleeping so peacefully, she took the opportunity to do some jobs. She dressed herself in a causal blue dress and tied her hair up messily. She replaced the burned rug with a spare from a cupboard and prepared some breakfast. She made her, Natsu and Happy eggs. They were the only thing in the house and wouldn't have made a decent dinner last night but they were a suitable breakfast. If Happy didn't come in time for breakfast, Natsu would surely eat them so they wouldn't be wasted. Today she was going to work at 8-Island, now it was repaired after the trouble with Tartarus, and she had no other source of income.

Natsu woke to the smell of eggs cooking. The second the scent touched his nose, he wanted to leap from his bed and devour all of them. He was forced to restrain himself now that he was being less irritating. He groaned.

"Morning." Lucy chirped at his waking. Hearing her voice first thing in the morning soothed him. He opened his eyes to find Lucy already dressed and making food. Though the sight was beautiful, it just didn't beat waking up with her pressed against him. He pulled himself from her couch and sat down by her table. He'd barely slept last night; he was too busy thinking about Lucy and the guild and all his other problems.

"What time is it?" He finally spoke.

Giggling lucy told him. "It's still early. No wonder you're tired. I made eggs to thank you for dinner last night." She smiled. Natsu blushed, turning away from her. She placed his meal in front of him. They ate in silence. It wasn't awkward. It was that comfortable silence that you only experience with those you're closest to. When he finished, he watched Lucy. 'I know it's cliche but-' he thought. "You have egg yolk on your face." He told her.

"Oh really? Where?" He watched her blush as she unsuccessfully tried to clean her face.

"Here." He stopped her impatiently, as he wiped her face for her constricting every impulse in his body telling him to lean over the table, hold her head in his hands, and kiss her. "So, how did you sleep?" He asked, filling the now awkward silence.

"Fine." She sighed. "I got a bit chilly when I woke up but fine."

'She missed me.' Natsu grinned.

"What's up? When you smile like that you've usually destroyed something." Lucy guessed.

"Nothing. I'm just-" He stammered "Where's Happy?"

"Oh he left last night-" Lucy continued as Natsu breathed a sigh of relief that she'd happily change the subject. He needed to be more careful with showing his emotions. First Happy and now Lucy could tell he had been thinking of something to make him grin so much. He doubted she'd figure out he was thinking about his undying love for her. "-so we need to go into town." Natsu heard.

"Sounds good." He said as she left the table to do her make up.

"Oh and Natsu. Put on a shirt." Lucy ordered closing her bathroom door. Natsu was now aware of his prominent half nakedness. He grabbed his clothing, ran his fingers through his hair and washed their dishes.

Lucy pulled open her draws. 'Hmm. Why is Natsu so happy?' She saw him smirk a lot but he seemed to be so intensely pleased with himself this morning. He was acting strange. He'd washed the dishes, slept on the couch, showered and made her dinner. He hadn't even burned anything this morning. What was wrong with him? As much as she loved having a less annoying friend, she couldn't help shake the feeling that he wasn't himself. Despite hating his childish habits, she adored his playful spirit. It seemed like he was forcing himself to be helpful. It wasn't his strong point. He was helpful and lovely but she didn't want him to change. She admitted that she did like waking up to another warm body next to her. He always managed to be the perfect temperature, even when he was too hot, she could get used to him. She loved him. He'd always save her if she was in trouble. When she'd been kidnapped by Phantom Lord she knew she could be careless enough to jump from such a vast height because she knew he'd catch her. Only someone special would do that for her. He risked his life for her constantly. She felt it only necessary to repay him with a place to stay and a food supply. 'Maybe he's just bored.' She thought. And if cleaning and making food entertained him, who was she to stop him? Satisfied with her make up, she left the room to find Natsu waiting for her and, once again, a stack of cleaned dishes.

"Your look nice." Natsu told her. Confused, all Lucy could let out was a small noise Natsu couldn't make sense of. "You ready then?" He held out his hand for her to take. She did. He felt lightning flow through his arm to his stomach. This was worse than Laxus's power. They left the house and made their way into town watching the sun slowly rise. Natsu was proud of his gesture. They'd never held hands for this long before. He began to regress into a child once more thinking of Lucy. As they passed the first building of the main town, Lucy broke their hold to speak to a shop owner. Natsu joined her.

"Hello sir. Wasn't there a fire here last night?" Her eyes darted towards Natsu.

"Aye." He said. "Not a big one. Whole load of smoke though. It never left the bakery and everyone's fine. Don't worry about it." Natsu subtally pulled her away, saying a quick thank you. She sighed, grasping his hand again.

"I thought the fire was you. There was so much smoke I could barely see into town. It was dark though."

"Most fire is me but I din't even know there was one until you told me." Once they'd reached Lucy's favourite shop they bought essentials for the next week.

"I'm getting really low on money. Can you take these back to the house while I go to 8-Island. If I get there early, I might get paid extra." Natsu nodded taking the bags. Lucy ran off towards her new job. He didn't like that she was working and he wasn't, but he was only experienced in fighting. He began his slow meander back home, put the food away then left again. He had an idea.

He and Happy still had their own place and he knew they had a money store somewhere. He just didn't know how much. He made it to his old home. It was shabby compared to Lucy's place but it did the job. He found happy napping on the bed. "WAKE UP!" he screamed at his friend. Happy jumped out of bed, grasping his head tightly.

"AAAAAAAAAA" Happy cried. "How could you do that to my poor baby ears!"

"You threw me in a lake and left me alone last night. You deserved it. Now where did we keep our money?"

"What?" Happy asked, confused.

"You heard me." Natsu began to rummage through the mess.

"Natsu that money was supposed to be for an emergency and I never told you where it was for a reason."

"But loosing the guild is an emergency. We have no work and Lucy can't keep paying for us." Natsu protested.

"i thought you said the guild was coming back." Happy said, upset.

"It is but we need more time."

Happy sighed. "Ok but you better be spending every free minute finding our guild mates." He began to toss things about the room until he'd found what he was looking for. "Here." Natsu counted the money. It was enough to cover Lucy's rent for a couple of months and pay for food for a while. He was surprised they had been able to collect so much without spending it all on food.

"Come on. We should get back to Lucy's."

"I'm not going."

"Why?"

"You loooooove her. I'm simply doing my part for the relationship." Happy purred.

Natsu turned away, closing the door behind him, leaving Happy giggling away to himself.

He walked back through Magnolia, asking shopkeepers for any potential work, but none were interested in an ex-wizard who only knew how to punch and burn things. He spent the whole day being rejected and the baker had thrown a plate at him for mentioning fire. He sighed. He really wanted to make Lucy as much money as possible but he couldn't think of a way of doing it. No-one was interested in Fairy Tail anymore. If they needed a wizard they'd just go to Sabertooth. He wasn't willing to join any other guild to find work. Lucy was so amazing. She'd come from a rich, pampered background, where shed never need to work, but she could still do jobs better than him. Just another reason why he loved her. She just seemed to be good at everything she tried and she was pretty too. Although she probably liked men who would describe her as "Aesthetically pleasing" rather than pretty. Natsu shuddered. He wasn't classy like her. She was poised, graceful and charming. He was dense, childish and irritating. As much as he tried to be perfect,, Lucy knew who he really was and she knew his true nature.

Lucy had worked extremely hard today and it had paid off. She'd made enough to pay for food for a few days and she'd been given food to take home. It would be their dinner tonight. On her walk home she found herself turning into the pathway to her lake side spot. Watching the sun set over the water would give her inspiration for her novel and it would be relaxing after her long day. She settled by the lake, resting her chin on her knees. She was alone and peaceful. 'Finally!'

"Lucy?" Natsu stepped from the trees, to the spot where she was sitting. Lucy was the last person he wanted to see right now. He was trying to cool down and keep his thoughts away from her. Why did she have to be here of all places?

"Natsu." She said in the same way he had. He sat down beside her, feeling his annoyance drain from him like water. They were sitting in his spot. Together. Natsu felt hundreds of impulses bubbling up inside of him. He could kiss her right now. He could make her his and be with her for the rest of his life. He couldn't control himself so he reached an arm around her, pulling her tightly towards him. "You're cold." He said. He pulled her even closer until she was nearly on his lap. He felt her tension slowly seep out until she was relaxed.

"Natsu-:

"Ssshh" He cut her off. "Let me warm you." He wrapped his strong arms around her body, pressing it to his until she was as close as possible. He rested his head on hers as they watched the sun fall away. Natsu gazed as the sun trailed up Lucy's legs, until it was gone. They were engulfed by darkness. Lucy now watched the stars on the lake, as her spirit's constellations moved across the water's surface. She wasn't thinking of her spirits though. She was thinking about the dragon slayer who had hold of her right now. She wasn't cold anymore but she was too comfortable to move. She gripped one of Natsu's arms, leaning back to rest her head on his shoulder.

"Thank you." It was all she could say. They remained there for nearly an hour, content with just being together, until Lucy eventually fell asleep.

Natsu still didn't want to move. he wished he could stay there forever but he had to take her home. He lifted her into his arms along with her bag of food. He carried her through the streets and across the bridge, despite the funny looks he received from passing strangers. When they reached her home he put her to bed, kneeling beside her. She was so beautiful. He ran his fingers across her cheek. "I love you Luce." He told her. "I really, really love you."


	4. Chapter 4

Missing Fairy Tail

A.N.

Hello everyone. Thank you again so much for reading and I hope you're enjoying the story so far. I enjoyed writing this chapter and I hope you like it. Please leave a review telling me what you thought.

Chapter Four Is That Better?

"I love you Luce. I really, really love you." His words rang in her ears. He loved her.

She recalled her day's events. She'd walked passed the bookstore twice, viewing the romance novels in the window, thinking about her personal romantic fantasies. None were with Natsu. She'd particularly favoured one called "My Fairy Tale" Not only had it reminded her of the guild, it had also reminded her of her extreme lack of a romantic fairy tale. It was like her one missing piece. Lucy had never had any kind of romantic relationship, unless you count nearly being wed to a duke she'd never met. As she moved further and further away from the book store, memories came flooding back of her dad. She'd been caged in that house for years, and even when she left she'd never found anyone she was interested in.

Now, lying in her soft bed on that same day, her best friend had confessed his love for her. He was moving about the room, doing whatever he felt like. Lucy was to lost in her mind to care. She snuggled the sheets closer to her, squeezing her eyes shut in annoyance. what was going on with her life? She'd wanted a romance for a while now but this wasn't what she meant. She loved him. She loved him more than anyone but not like that. When Lucy thought of romance, she thought of poetic princes and men unlike Natsu.

Maybe he was just saying he loved her as a friend. She was probably making a big deal out of nothing. But what if he wasn't? What if he really did have feelings for her? She pressed her hand to her cheek where he'd caressed her, being as quiet as possible. She remembered his tender embrace earlier, by the water. He had been so warm. He'd held her like it was no big deal, as if she was his. And, she'd accepted. Lucy had happily remained in his arms unti she'd slept. She remembered moving through the streets of Magnolia, pressed against his body, enjoying every moment of it. Lucy released a breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding.

She began to watch him, just barely opening her eyes. He'd since removed his shirt and was now improving his couch-bed from last night with extra blankets and pillows.

Why didn't he want to share her bed? If he loved her, as he said, he'd be dying to cuddle up niext to her right? "Natsu." Lucy found herself saying. He turned to face her. "I'm still cold." She said, wrapping herself tighter into her sheets for emphasis. He walked towards her bed, kneeling beside her. Now, she lifted her sheets, gesturing for him to lie next to her. He did. they remained silent for a while, rearranging themselves around each other.

"Is that better?" He asked. Lucy breathed heavily, making a tired moan of approval. She took one of his hands, which had made its way around her body, and pressed it onto her chin.

"Much." She finally confirmed. Why was she doing this? Despite her certainty that she didn't feel any kind of love for him, she was thoroughly enjoying herself. She loved having his sturdy body around her. Within his embrace she was secure and warm. The comforting warmth began to softly lull her to sleep. She entered a state of near sleep. It was dreamlike Lucy thought. "Natsu." She felt herself say but then couldn't tell if it was a dream or not.

"Mmm?"

Lucy heard the words "I love you too." escape her lips but she still couldn't tell if she was awake or not. Before she could give it anymore thought she was sleeping once again.

When Natsu heard those four words flutter from Lucy's mouth, he held her tighter. He knew she was tired and may not remember when she woke up but in this moment, she was finally his. Whether it be for now or forever, he was happy. He kissed her gently on the top of her head, once she'd fallen asleep, burying his nose in her long, blond hear, inhaling her scent. If light had a scent, this was it. He would know, with his nose. He prayed she wouldn't kick him from the bed in the morning. He knew his best option was to leave her bed but he couldn't move. He may never get this opportunity again. He moved his hand to her shoulder before feeling down her arm to her fingertips. He intertwined his hand with her own, bringing it up to his lips and kissing it. He brought it up to his face to view her Fairy Tail emblem. He rubbed his fingers across it then pressed it to his arm where his emblem lay. They would always have that link. He thought. Even if they were a million miles away, they'd always be connected. "I'm glad." He finally said to her seeping self, laying her hands together in front of her and begrudgingly lifting himself from the bed.

When Lucy woke the next morning she had no memory of the night's events. She remembered her and Natsu sitting by the lake but she'd lost everything else to a tired haze. Natsu was sleeping on her couch , as he had been recently, and Happy was still nowhere to be seen. Lucy made breakfast. Natsu woke to her cooking, like he had done yesterday and had offered to help her. She refused. "Don't worry. I never thanked you for bringing me home last night." She told him.

'Trust me. You said more than just thank you.' He thought.

"Food is ready." She said brightly, presenting him with his meal.

He looked puzzled. "Anything else you want to say?"

"Do you want the leftovers or should I save them for Happy?" She asked.

"I'll have them." Natsu answered, trying to conceal his disappointment. She hadn't remembered. 'Who forgets something like that?' He thought. What if she hadn't meant what she'd said and she was delirious and tired? He began to panic. He couldn't tell if he was being foolish for believing her or if she'd just forgotten. "Do you remember anything that happened when we got home yesterday?"

Lucy placed a hand to her chin, her eyes going glassy as if she was thinking of old memories. "Nothing.: She lied. "I'm assuming you brought me home and we went to sleep?" She hadn't remembered her words but she remembered his.

"Yeah." He wasn't lying. He just wasn't telling the entire truth, he thought. "You know, you talk in your sleep."

"Oh really? What do I say?" She asked inquisitively.

"Well you responded to some things I said last night." He smiled.

"And what exactly was that?" She questioned playfully.

"Just random stuff." Natsu tilted his head downwards in the hopes of ending the conversation.

"I'm curious now. Nothing bad i hope." She giggled. Natsu shook his head to reassure her. They finished their food and got ready for the day. Today Lucy was going to work on her novel while Natsu went with Happy to another, near by, town to ask about a possible sighting of Erza.

Lucy waved Natsu goodbye before closing the door and leaning against it. She slowly slid towards the floor into a sitting position, cupping her face in her hands "I love you Luce." She remembered. "No, no, no, no , no, no, no!" She said aloud. He couldn't possibly understand love. He'd grown up with a dragon and he was infatuated only with fire. Lucy had been sure she didn't like him but she couldn't shake the feeling that something had occurred last night that she was unaware of. She remembered hugging him in bed but he'd woken up on the couch. Maybe he just came for a quick goodnight hug. What if she'd wanted him to? She seemed to remember being cold and complaining about it. Had she? Had she asked him to join her in bed? Had he left of his own accord? 'How gentlemanly.' She commented. She stood, trying to think straight. She decided to write a letter to her mother.

She wrote about the usual: how much she missed her and dad, how much she used to love the guild, how much food Natsu had eaten. She wrote until her emotions finally spilled out over the paper. 'Mom, I think Natsu likes me as more than a friend. I can't really tell if I like him back. i was so sure yesterday about having a fairy tale with authors and princes but now I'm so confused.' She stopped. How had this happened so quickly? she sealed the letter and added it to the pile, thinking of Natsu. She wanted him to come bursting through the door and swoop her into his arms before planting kisses across her body. All of her many fantasies became abundant with images of her and the pink haired dragon slayer falling in love and being together forever. This wasn't like the time she thought he liked her when all he wanted was Virgo's help. This was different. She began to recall all of the romantic gestures he'd performed for her. He'd saved her countless times, he'd slept next to her nearly every night since they'd met and he'd brought her a tree. It wasn't just any tree. It was Magnolia's rainbow blossom tree. He'd risked so much to bring it to her. Now, she sighed, that she finally wanted him here to show her his love, he was gone and he wouldn't be back for hours. She sat on her bed, clutching her knees.

After she eventually recovered from her emotions, she decided to start work on her novel. She wrote of the protagonist finding romance. She was inspired. Slowly, the love interest in her book became more and more like Natsu. She continuously commented on his black eyes and fiery nature. She cheacked the time. Only an hour had passed. She huffed out a breath of air, annoyed. This was going to be a long day. Lucy had walked every day in the passed week and was now exhausted, despite her long sleep. All she could think of doing, to pass the time, was cleaning. She removed Natsu's bed sheets from the couch and changed her own. She washed the bathroom, the kitchen and the living room. When the sun's rays faded to a dark orange she began to feel nervous. What was she so anxious for? She wanted to see him but she wasn't entirely sure what to say to him. Was she supposed to say that she loved him? She didn't even know how she felt. All she knew was that she wanted him there, with her.

Lucy sat next to the window, watching the sun set, as she had done yesterday evening. Where was he? Night had nearly falllen completely. She watched couples walk passed her window, returning home for the evening. She began to feel isolated without Natsu here with her. Every trip they'd made so far, they'd made together. Lucy wanted to stay at home during this one to work on the novel but now she was alone for the first time in weeks. "Natsu." She called out softly. She'd gone from rejecting the thought of him liking her to longing for his presence in only a few hours. "Where are you?" She asked the world. Of course, there was no reply. It was nearly ten. The trains wouldn't be running. If Natsu were to come home now, he'd need Happy to fly him all the way here. "Natsu." she called again. She wanted to worry but she knew he'd be fine. He could protect himself far more effectively thatn most in Fairy Tail. She needed a distraction. She considered cooking but food only made her think of Natsu. She would write but agin she'd think of Natsu. There was nothing she could do without thinking of him. 'Get out of my head you idiot.' She said to herself. Lucy flopped onto her back, on the couch where Natsu had been sleeping. She slowly closed her eyes.

"I'm home." Was the next thing she heard followed by her window closing.

"Can't you use a door?" Lucy asked more softly than usual

"I could but why would I? The window works fine and there's a nice comfy bed on the other side of it." He grinned. This was Lucy's Natsu. He was still alone so she guessed happy was sleeping elsewhere.

"Did you find anything?"

"Nothing. Sorry. We think it was her but she's gone now and nobody knew where to." Natsu wondered towards Lucy's kitchen.

"Sorry Natsu. I haven't made any dinner."

"It's okay. There's plenty to eat right here." Lucy nodded in agreement, clasping her hands together to twiddle her fingers. Natsu began to munch on something he'd found in a cupboard. "I'm tired." He declared through his chewing.

"I expected you would be. You should take a bath before you go to bed though."

"Yes mom." He said mockingly. "Hey, what did you do today?" Lucy pondered on her activities.

"Not much. I cleaned and wrote. I think you had a much more interesting day than me." She watched him eating his food, relaxing on her couch only a few feet away from her. "Natsu." She called a third time.

"Mmm."

"Could you-" She paused, loosing her words. "Could you, maybe, sleep in the bed tonight?" At this Natsu stopped eating, a shocked look on his face.

"Why? You always throw me out of the bed when I'm in it."

"Well it's getting later in the year and it'd colder than usual at night." She explained, relieved she should think of an excuse. "I'm getting chilly in the mornings and I like waking up warm and you're a fire wizard so you're pretty warm and I-" She continued. Natsu loved it when she rambled.

"Sure. If you really want me to." He interrupted her.

"Thank you." He threw her a quick glance, finishing his snack before he walked into the bathroom. Lucy grabbed a near by pillow, wrapping herself around it.

'What am i doing?'


	5. Chapter 5

Missing Fairy Tail

A.N.

Just a quick warning. In this chapter they get very close to mature topics but they don't actually do anything. I hope you enjoy this chapter and please leave a review telling me what you thought. Also, this is the second version of this chapter because for some reason the first one didn't have paragraphs.

Chapter Five How Sweet

Lucy threw herself into her bed, cupping her head in her hands. She'd asked him to come to bed with her. It wasn't the first time but now she was just doing it for pleasure rather than being cold, despite what she'd told him. She breathed deeply, listening to the running water of Natsu's bath. They were both being weird lately. Lucy had previously thought of Natsu's odd, rather gentlemanly, behaviour and now she was being strange. She had, all of a sudden, developed feelings for Natsu. She flung a pillow onto her face before screaming into it with confusion. She thought about Natsu. He was in the next room, completely naked and she couldn't keep her mind from it. She'd always appreciated his body, even if she'd never mentioned it. He was perfectly toned without being too muscular. He had one of those backs where, when you see it, you have the urge to reach out and touch it. She'd had that feeling on many occasions but had somehow managed to restrain herself. She hadn't even liked him but she couldn't help her impulses. He emerged from the bathroom, startling her slightly, wearing nothing but shorts. Lucy gasped internally. 'See what I mean?' She said to herself, admiring his build. Her eyes traced his defined muscles, surprised at how well she knew them. He was shirtless a lot. He walked towards the bed, his scarf in his hand. He pulled it around his neck, ruining Lucy's view.

She moved to his face. He seemed perplexed. "What's wrong?" Lucy asked.

Natsu sat on the bed beside her. "Are you feeling okay Luce?"

"I'm fine. Why?"

"You've never wanted me with you at night. Are you really ill or something? Is that why you're cold?" Lucy blushed at his concern for her. Suddenly, she grasped his arms, pulling him closer, until he was brushing against her skin.

"I'm fine." She assured him. She moved close to his ear. "Thank you." She spoke softly, before she lay down beneath the bed covers. Lucy held Natsu's arms again to pull him into the same position as her. He was being annoyingly hesitant. Lucy wrapped her arms around him, entwining one of her hands with one of his, resting her head on his chest. She forgot her reservations completely as she tangled herself with the dragon slayer. She began to press her body closer to his to relax but he began to move. He wrapped one arm around her waist and the other remained with her hand. He turned their bodies to face Lucy's wall so he could nuzzle the back of her head. Lucy smiled triumphantly. She pushed one of her legs between his and brought their entangled hands to her lips. She went to kiss him but Natsu quickly rolled around her to stop on all fours above her. He leaned closer to her face as she prepared to receive a kiss but he instead moved his mouth to her ear.

"I love you." Lucy stopped breathing when those three special words entered her mind again. This time however, she was happy about it.

"I know." She said, placing her hands on his head, pulling it closer. "I love you too." Their mothers neared for what felt like an eternity before he finally kissed her. He didn't take the kiss further than their lips meeting for a few seconds. He'd wanted to taste every inch of her in that moment but he didn't want to push her into doing something she'd regret. Lucy lay beneath him, in silent anticipation.

Natsu leaned in to kiss her again before they were both startled by three loud knocks on Lucy's door. Natsu growled, clearly irritated. He removed himself from Lucy's bed and made his way to the door. When he opened it, Happy flew into the room without any warning, panting. "It's been a while." Natsu said annoyed, crossing his arms.

"I've been busy looking for guild mates unlike you. You promised after i gave you that money!" The feline cried through deep breaths, pointing an accusing paw at Natsu.

"What money?" Lucy asked.

"Oh yeah. I totally forgot. I managed to find some money from our old cabin so you didn't have to work so much." Natsu said with a toothy grin. Lucy pulled her knees to her chest, smiling too.

"How sweet."

"Yeah and he promised he'd be focusing on the guild in all of his spare time it I gave it to him." Happy yelled tearfully. Lucy pulled the blue cat into her arms to comfort him.

"It was only today that the two of you went to look for Erza. What's wrong?" She stroked the cat's head soothingly.

Tears began to flow from the blue cat's eyes. "I was all alone tonight and for the passed two nights and you didn't come for me." Natsu wanted to point out that the cat had been alone of his own accord but he was stopped. "I just want our guild back!" Happy began to sob into Lucy's chest as she stroked his fur. Natsu joined the two on the bed. He'd never seen his little buddy cry like this. He must have been feeling more upset about it than usual so Natsu's usually quick assurances wouldn't work.

"We miss it too Happy but we're trying to make the best of what we have got." Lucy glanced at Natsu quickly. Happy continued to quietly cry for a short while before curling up on the bed to sleep.

"He must've been really lonely tonight." Natsu said. Lucy nodded in reply, blushing at their situation. They couldn't continue their previous activities with Happy present, so she settled to trying to rest. Natsu joined her but their positions were far less intimate. However, Natsu did place one arm around Lucy. The room lay silent for a while as the three tried to rest. "Natsu." Lucy called, breaking the silence.

"Umm?"

"You. You can kiss me goodnight you know." He pecked her gently on the cheek and pulled himself slightly closer to her body.

"I still love you." He yawned, closing his eyes.

"Yeah. I'm glad. Goodnight Natsu."

Despite each of them saying goodnight and lying still, none were asleep. Happy had woken up when Natsu and Lucy had crawled into the bed. When he'd heard Natsu admit his love for Lucy and her return the gesture, he'd been forced to control every muscle in his body telling him to jump out of the bed and leave them alone. He giggled quietly to himself, burrowing further and further into the bedcover. The teasing he could do now. He began conjuring multitudes of jokes and remarks he could annoy the two with in the morning.

Natsu wa awake thinking of the celestial beauty beside him. He'd been so annoyed when Happy had rudely interrupted their evening but he saw a silver lining. He wasn't sure if Lucy was ill or tired or just delirious lately but he wanted to know if she'd still gladly confess her feelings when she had a clear mind.

Lucy was the closest one to sleep even though her mind was bubbling with confusion. Did she really like Natsu? Well yes of course she did but had she wanted him to be hers? She thought she did but she still held the images of his old childish behaviour. Lucy, pulled the blue cat, beside her legs, up so he lay between her and Natsu. She hadn't wanted to disturb him but it was unavoidable. She wanted something to cuddle but she thought it would be weird to embrace Natsu now. Happy was in the room and Lucy knew the torment she'd receive if he saw them hugging. The tree crossed between the lands of wake and sleep until Natsu finally got sick of doing nothing and left them to splash cold water on his face. He was surprisingly hot for being a fire wizard.

Once Happy was sure Natsu was gone, he stood and poked Lucy gently on the nose. " you asleep?: Lucy stirred, trying to ignore him. "Are you asleep?"

"Well clearly not anymore." She opened her eyes trying to seem annoyed before softening her expressions.

"Sorry." Happy paused. "Is it true?" Lucy knew what he meant. He'd clearly heard with his cat ears. She nodded causing Happy to widen his gaze and twirl in the way he alway did when he teased them.

"You looo-" Lucy placed a finger on his mouth to silence him.

"Natsu might hear you." The cat understood, sitting closer to Lucy.

"Lucy."

"Yes?"

"Why?" At this, she giggled hysterically, falling into.a loud fit of laughter about their friendly banter. Natsu came into the room, he face lacked with curiosity. Happy threw him a shrug pretending not to have a clue what was going on. when Natsu approached the bed, Lucy reached for his head and pulled it towards her so they could kiss again. "Ewwwwww." Lucy giggled once again. "Lucy, you don't want to get set on fire do you? He's unpredictable."

"Watch it cat!" Natsu yelled, as he crawled back into the bed.

"Well you've certainly threatened me with your fire before and you've set Lucy on fire multiple times. Its just a friendly warning." With this, Happy hopped off the bed and settled on Lucy's rug for the night.

Lucy blushed. "Goodnight you two." She said once again.

"Night." They said in unison.


	6. Chapter 6

Missing Fairy Tail

A.N.

I'm sorry this chapter took so long to upload. My keyboard broke and I'm still waiting for a new one but I hope you enjoy it. Thank you for reading.

Chapter Six Rainbow Cherry Blossoms

"Natsu, wake up." Lucy excitedly threw herself onto his chest to awaken him. He slowly opened his eyes and began to pull himself into a sitting position. He rubbed his eyes, squinting in the sudden light. "It's morning. Guess what!" Lucy wasted no time waiting for Natsu to wake before giving him her news. "You know the rainbow cherry blossom tree? Well it usually doesn't go rainbow at this time of year, or any night other than the usual one but for some reason, the tree has been rainbow for the passed few nights. It might be today so we need to go and see it." She pushed him back down onto the bed with her unusual energy before planting a kiss on his lips.

"Why?" He finally let out, still not comprehending the situation.

"Why what?"

Natsu pushed her gently away from him and lifted himself fully from the bed. He'd usually eaten by this time in the morning or had the promise of food coming but he was tired and hungry. "Why are you so exited first thing in the morning?"

Lucy looked puzzled. "Natsu, its twelve and I've already had a walk. It's only first thing in the morning for you. Now hurry up and get dressed."

"Okay." He took her hands in his and pulled her towards him, lightly brushing his lips across her neck. "But, can we get food wherever we're going?" Lucy nodded, smiling profusely, kissed him and threw his clothes towards him before rushing him into the bathroom.

"Hurry." She yelled playfully.

Once Natsu had dressed and Happy had been woken, the two made their way outside into the sun. It was warm but Lucy could feel winter on its way from the chilly breeze. They walked along the usual bridge with Natsu holding Lucy's hand for once, steadying her as she balanced on the edge. She received her usual remarks about being careful before the boaters noticed she wasn't alone. Natsu didn't appreciate the attention. This was normal? He wondered. They made their way through the streets of Magnolia until they reached a familiar piece of land. No-one had removed the remnants of the guild hall, probably for fear of Natsu burning them for touching the hall. "Come on Natsu. Let's go." Lucy softly tugged his arm, in a pointless attempt to pull him away. "Why did you even come here?" She continued to pull is arm until he shook her off and began looking around the street. "What's wrong?" Natsu began to sniff.

"Someone's been here." He declared.

"Natsu, it's a town. People are here all the time when they pass by and some come to look at the rubble."

"No." He placed his finger on her lips, silencing her. "Someone familiar but I can't pick out who." Suddenly, Natsu began sprinting away into the distance.

"Come on Natsu! If you're going to go run off like that, at lease tell me where you're going!" Lucy yelled in his direction.

"It's okay Lucy." Happy said. "I'll carry you." Lucy had forgotten Happy was with them as he'd been so quiet. He wrapped his tail around her, sprouted his wings and plunged into the air. They followed Natsu for a while, watching him dart aimlessly around the streets, disturbing people, smelling the streets around him.

"Is there a point to this?" Lucy asked.

"It's Natsu. Is there ever a point to what he does?" Happy teased.

"NATSU!" Lucy shouted down into the streets. She caught his attention as he rushed away. "Stop terrorising people."

He turned towards her, still running. "Lucy, this is import-" He was interrupted by a tree. "Ow!"

Happy set Lucy onto the ground beside him. "That's what you get for not looking where you're going."

"You're the reason I wasn't watching." He protested.

"Now Natsu, is that any way to your girlfrieeeeend?" Happy sang.

The two blushed.

"So, what was so important anyway?" Lucy asked, bringing a hand to Natsu's newly forming bruise.

"I thought I could smell someone familiar. Guild mate familiar. I'm still not sure and now, thanks to somebody, I've lost them."

Lucy sighed. "Sorry Natsu."

He brushed her hair away from her face and kissed her. "It's okay. If they were here, we'll definitely find them soon." He smiled, comforting her as an excuse to kiss her again. They leaned against the tree for a while, in each other's arms, before they were interrupted with a grumpy "Ahem!" from a certain blue feline. The two rose to their feet and began making their way away from the tree.

"Why are we here so early?" Natsu complained.

"Well I thought we could have some lunch together. You said you wanted food." Lucy smiled, pulling Natsu closer to her.

"A free lunch! Sounds great to me!" Happy grinned, before quickly darting off.

"Hey, I didn't say I was buying lunch. I don't have that kind of-"

"That's ok Luce. I'll pay." Natsu interrupted her. "I probably owe you."

Lucy watched Natsu's newly developed table manners from across the table. He wasn't being embarrassing for once. Happy, on the other hand, was quickly eating a mountain of fish with no regard for his appearance. They'd been at the restraint for over an hour now, waiting for the sun to start to set. Lucy had finished her food while the others kept eating. She relaxed into a slouch while she waited. It was surprisingly blissful. She was thoroughly enjoying her time with Natsu, even if it had been interrupted by Happy. Today had been like those annoyingly impossible love stories she wrote and both her and Natsu had taken to the new romance so quickly. It had felt so natural. "Done." She finally heard from across the table. Natsu stood and took Lucy's hand to hurry her. He left payment on the table and they left sharply.

That walked through the streets of Magnolia, as the lights turned on in response to the darkening sky. They were surrounded by excited travelers and local merchants, all on their way to the tree. They could see it now. It wasn't rainbow yet but it's pink leaves were glowing. Everyone stood in awe at the falling blossom petals and the real magic hadn't even started. "Wow, I've only ever seen it from a window before. It's amazing even now." Lucy said. Natsu pulled her into his chest.

'You're amazing.' He thought. Natsu hadn't come to see the tree. He'd seen it loads of times. He just wanted to be around Lucy. The two sat on the grass to wait for the sky to get darker. It took only a few more moments before the pastel pink faded into the lustrous rainbow, Lucy had been anticipation.

"Wow, Rainbow cherry blossoms." Natsu had never seen Lucy so happy. Her eyes had flooded with delight as she watched the magic. The view Natsu had of her was magic in itself. She was alight from the tree, filled with joy and surrounded by falling petals. She was celestial or fairylike he mused. "Beautiful." Lucy smiled.

"Yeah. Beautiful." Natsu replied, pulling her hair from her face and brushing petals off her shoulders.


End file.
